To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend loan forgiveness for certain loans to Head Start teachers.

January 10, 2003

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. VOINOVICH) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend loan forgiveness for certain loans to Head Start teachers.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR HEAD START TEACHERS.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This section may be cited as the `Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2003'.

(b) HEAD START TEACHERS- Section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C 1078-10) is amended--

(1) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

`(1)(A) has been employed--

`(i) as a full-time teacher for 5 consecutive complete school years in a school that qualifies under section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan cancellation for Perkins loan recipients who teach in such a school; or

`(ii) as a Head Start teacher for 5 consecutive complete program years under the Head Start Act; and

`(B)(i) if employed as a secondary school teacher, is teaching a subject area that is relevant to the borrower's academic major as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private secondary school in which the borrower is employed;

`(ii) if employed as an elementary school teacher, has demonstrated, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school in which the borrower is employed, knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the elementary school curriculum; and

`(iii) if employed as a Head Start teacher, has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, early childhood development, and other areas of a preschool curriculum, with a focus on cognitive learning; and';

(2) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:

`(3) HEAD START- An individual shall be eligible for loan forgiveness under this section for service described in clause (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(A) only if such individual received a baccalaureate or graduate degree on or after the date of enactment of the Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2003.'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and succeeding fiscal years to carry out loan repayment under this section for service described in clause (ii) of subsection (b)(1)(A).'.

(c) DIRECT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 460 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C 1087j) is amended--

(A) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following:

`(A)(i) has been employed--

`(I) as a full-time teacher for 5 consecutive complete school years in a school that qualifies under section 465(a)(2)(A) for loan cancellation for Perkins loan recipients who teach in such a school; or

`(II) as a Head Start teacher for 5 consecutive complete program years under the Head Start Act; and

`(ii)(I) if employed as a secondary school teacher, is teaching a subject area that is relevant to the borrower's academic major as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private secondary school in which the borrower is employed;

`(II) if employed as an elementary school teacher, has demonstrated, as certified by the chief administrative officer of the public or nonprofit private elementary school in which the borrower is employed, knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the elementary school curriculum; and

`(III) if employed as a Head Start teacher, has demonstrated knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, early childhood development, and other areas of a preschool curriculum, with a focus on cognitive learning; and';

(B) in subsection (g), by adding at the end the following:

`(3) HEAD START- An individual shall be eligible for loan forgiveness under this section for service described in subclause (II) of subsection (b)(l)(A)(i) only if such individual received a baccalaureate or graduate degree on or after the date of enactment of the Loan Forgiveness for Head Start Teachers Act of 2003.'; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

`(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and succeeding fiscal years to carry out loan repayment under this section for service described in subclause (II) of subsection (b)(1)(A)(i).'.

(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS- Section 460 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087j) is amended--

(A) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting `or fifth complete program year' after `fifth complete school year of teaching';

(B) in subsection (f), by striking `subsection (b)' and inserting `subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)(I)';

(C) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking `subsection (b)(1)(A)' and inserting `subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)(I)'; and

(D) in subsection (h), by inserting `except as part of the term `program year',' before `where'.

(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS- Section 428J of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-10) is amended--

(1) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting `or fifth complete program year' after `fifth complete school year of teaching';

(2) in subsection (f), by striking `subsection (b)' and inserting `subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)';

(3) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking `subsection (b)(1)(A)' and inserting `subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)'; and

(4) in subsection (h), by inserting `except as part of the term `program year',' before `where'.

END